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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: calf · vault · root · season · content · race · board · straw

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. board — to get on
  3. root — of a word
  4. race — the arms race
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. board — a committee
  8. content — happy
  9. root — the cause
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. root — of a plant
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. race — a contest
  16. season — in sport
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. season — of the year
  20. content — the amount
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. race — humankind
  23. vault — a safe
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com